Folding gate.



A. FRITZ.

FoLmNG GATE.

` l APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. 1914. 1,162,231 Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. FRITZ. FoLnmG GA'T'E.

AvPPucAnoN FILED :uur a. 19H. 1,162,231.

Patented Nv; 30,1915.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2- F5 O I 5kg; ll if /ff .n 76'" i fnl/671150?? ALneses. I 7? .AXEL FRITZ, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

' FOLDING GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application ledl'uly 3, 1914. Serial No. 848,881.

may be extended to its full length or only a portion thereof as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for drawing theouter end pales of the sections of the gate together and to lock saidpales in said position.

Still another object of the invention isto provide means for pivotallysupporting the sections of the gates and for adjusting the pivoted palesof the gate relatively yto the perpendicular.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts setforth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a pair of gatesembodyingmy invention, one of said gates being extended to its fulllength, while the other of said gates is folded. Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which the lowerends of the pales are connected together by links. Fig. 3 is av sectiontaken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which the upperends of the pales are connected together. Fig. 4 is a section taken online .1 -41; of Fig. 1 and illustrating the pivot for the upper -end ofthe pivot pale and showing the adjustment therefor.. Fig. 5 is a sectiontaken on .line

5-5 of-Fig. 1 illustrating the pivot for the lower end of the pivot paleandL also illustrating the adjustment therefor. Fig. 6 is ai detail viewof a portion of the outer pales of the gates illustrating the means fordrawing said pales together and locking the same in place, the dottedlines in said ligure illustrating the latch and the'means for operatingsaid latch in readiness to be operated to draw the pales together. Fig.7 is a detail View of the strike plate which is engaged by the latch.Fig. 8 is a detail view of the lower end of one of the palesillustrating a caster attached thereto. Fig. 9 is a detail view of aplurality of pales illustrating a modified form of link. Fig.` 10 is adetail view of the palefsupporting bar. Fig. 11 is a detail sectionalelevation of the ends of the pale supporting bars illustrating themannerk in which said bars are locked together when the gates areclosed.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

In the drawings, 12 and 13 illustrate two sections of 'a gate, one ofwhich preferably 12 is shown extended, while the other is shown folded.The sections as shown in Fig. 1 are constructed of a plurality of pales14, 14 preferably arranged parallel and adapted to be moved laterallyrelatively to eachother. One of said pales, preferably the vend pale`15, constitutes a pivot pale about'the axis of which the gate isadapted to be swung. The pales constituting said gate are `connectedtogether preferably at opposite sides and adjacent opposite ends bypairs of links 16 which permit said pales to b e moved laterallyrelatively to each other and to thepivot pale 15 a limited distance,this distance being limited by the straightening of the links 16 asshown at 12 Fig. 1.

. Each of the pairs of links 16 is pivotally connected together at 17and to the pales 14 preferably byrivets 18, said rivets 18 alsoconstituting the pivots for the links extending in opposite directionsfrom each pale. The links 16 are constructed of such a width 'that thepales 141 will be permitted to be moved close together when folded so asto touch one another as illustrated at 13 Fig. 1,

thus occupying the least amount of space j possible, this space beinggoverned by the diameters of said pales. |lihe links 16 are howevermerelyfor the purpose of limiting theflateral relative movements of saidpales, but have nothing whatever to do with the controlling of thevertical movements thereof. To control said vertical movements a bar 19is provided, said barbeing attached at 20 to oneof said pales,preferably the pivot pale 15, and having slidable engagement with eachof said movable pales in transverse slots 21 preferably formed inbrackets 22 secured to one side-ofeach of said pales. Rollers 23 arearranged at the upper and lower ends of said slots to engage the upperand lower edges of said bar. kThe upper series of links which connectthe adjacent pales is preferably arranged even Lthe pales 14.

with the bar 19 and when so placed the links upon the side of said palesto which the brackets 22 are secured are pivoted by rivets 24 to thebrackets 22 instead of directly to rihe bar 19 extends from the pivotpale 15 through the slots in each of the pales 14 and terminatesadjacent with the outer face of the outermcst pale 25 of the series ofpales constituting said gate when said gate is extended as shown in Fig.1.

The outermost pale 25 is provided at its lower end with a caster 26which supports said pale and incidentally the pales intermediate saidcuter pale and the pivot pale 15 through the instrumentalities of thebar 19 and the upper rollers on said pales. At

least this a the case when a narrow gate isl to be used. The bar 19 isjointed at a point 27 just outside of the outer faces of the outermostpale 25 when the gate is folded, see Fig. 1, said joint being providedto permit the portion cf the bar projecting beyond said pales beinglowered into the position shown in dotted and full lines in the righthand portionof Fig. 1.

The joint 27 is constructed in such a manner that the movable portion 2Sof the bar 19 may be moved to the Vhorizontal position shown in Fig. 10and in alineinent with the stationary portion 29 thereof, furthermovements of said movable member 'being limitedv Yby stops 30,thus itwill be seen that with the outer end 31 of said 'bar supported by theoutermost pale 25 and its caster, said movable portion will constitute asupport for the intermediate pales.

It often happens that the gates are very long and not very high and whensuch is the case the movable portion 28 of said bar would be too long topermit its being swung downwardly to the position indicated in dottedlines Fig. 1 as it would strike the ground before it reached itslowermost position. To provide for such, said movable portion is stillfurther jointed at 32 and 33, the portion intermediate said jointsconstituting a link 34, thus permitting said movable portion to befolded as indicated in full lines AF ig. land in which position it isheld by a. hook 341 pivoted on one of the arms of said movable memberat342 andadapted to engage a pin 343 formed upon the other section of saidmovable portion. The hook 341 is arranged within a recess 344 formed inthe sides of the sections of said movable member andr represented by thelines a-cz, which permit said hook to lie flush with the side of saidbar so as not to interfere with the sliding movement of said pales.l/Vhen the link is employed the portion 2S will no longer be capable ofsupportingthe intermediate pales, consequently it becomes necessary toprovide oneV of the intermediate pales 14 or at least the pale whichalines with the link 34 when said gate is extended,with a caster,

the pale coinciding with this position being marked 35, Fig. 1.

ln erecting a gate it often becomes necessary Yto vary the position ofthe pale 15 relative to the perpendicular and to accomplish this resulthinges 36 and 37 are provided adjacent the upper and lower endsrespectively of the pivot pale 15, said hinges being adjustable.

rlhe hinge 36 preferably embodies in its construction a bracket 38 seeFig. 4 having a base 39 by means of which said bracket is secured to thewall or support 40. A lug 41 extends laterally from said base 39 towardthe pivot pale 15 and a i-shaped member or clamp 42 is adapted tostraddle a cylindrical portion 43 formed on the pale 15. rlhe legs ofthe member 42 engage opposite faces of the lug 41 to which they aresecured by a bolt 44 preferably extending through a slot 45 in said lug.The extremities of the U- shaped member 42 are bent' outwardly at 46 toreceive screws 47 having screw-tlireaded engagement with the base 39 bymeans of which said U-shaped member may be moved toward and away fromsaid base. To retain n the cylindrical pc-rtion 43 of the pivot paleY 15at the closed end of the U-shaped meinber 42, a block 47 is securedwithin said member in Contact with said cylindrical portion.

The lower hinge 37 see Fig. 5 preferably embodies in its construction abase 48 having a groove 49 extending longitudinally thereof within whichis arranged a block 507 said block having a vertically disposedcylindrical hole 51 adapted to receive the lower end 52 of the pal-e 15.1A screw 53 having screw-threaded engagement with the base 48 is adaptedto rotatably engage said block and as said screw is rotated and movedthereby longitudinally on said base, said block will likewise be moved.Set screws 54 in said base are adapted to be moved to engage said blockand clamp the same in a predetermined position.

ln gates of this nature it vis vsometimes dihcult to bring the outermostpales 25 of the two sections of the gate together in order that they maybe locked. To accomplish this a latch 55 see Fig. 6 has been provided,said latch being pivotally and slidably mounted upon a stud 56 securedto a bracket 57 on the member 25 of one of the sections of the gate. Aslot 58 has been provided in said latch to permit the same to slide.

The outer end of the latch 55 is provided with a hook 59 which isarranged to engage a portion 60 of a strike plate 61 see Fig. 7 securedto the member 25 of the other section of said gate.V As the members 25are drawn toward each other the end of the latch 55 passes through aslot 62 in the strike plate 61 until the hook portion 59 thereof dropsover the portion 60. A lever 63 is pivoted at the rear end of the latchv55, said lever having formed thereon a cam 64 which is arranged toengage the rear side of the bracket 57 during the rotation of the lever63 on said latch land retract said latch, thus firmly securing themembers 25 in close lcontact one withY the other.

The outer end of the lever 63 is provided with an eye 65 located in aposition to aline with an eye 66 on the other member 25 when saidmembers are` locked together. A shackle 67 of a padlock 68 is thenpassed through both of said eyes to lock the same together.

Usually in folding gates it has been diflicult where two sections areemployed to properly aline the abutting pales, or in fact to keep thepales of one section of said gate in the same plane with the pales ofthe other section thereof. In the present gate this difliculty has beenovercome by extending the bars 19 beyond the outermost pale of theirrespective sections a distance equal to the spacing of the adjacentpales of said gate as at 69. The ends of said bars are somewhat reducedin width so ythat their combined widths are equal to the width of themain portion of said bars, see Fig. 11, and when the gates are to beclosed said ends are matched and the outermost pales 25 drawn togetherover said matched portion. One of said bars or the reduced portionthereof is provided with dowel pins 7 0 which are adapted to fitcorresponding recesses 71 in the other member and positively positionand lock said bars in alinement.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modied form of gate in which adjacent pales lilare piv otally connected together by a single pair of links 7 2, saidlinks being pivotally connected at their upper ends, and slidablyconnected at their lower ends to the pales 14 in slots 73, said slotslimiting the lateral relative movement of said pales.

lWhile I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of myinvention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed and discussed indetail the construction and arrangement incidental to one specific'application thereof, it is to be understood that the invention islimited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts,nor to its specific application herein shown, but that extensivedeviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of the invention maybe made without departing from the' principles thereof.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire by LettersPatent to secure is:

1. A folding gate having, in combination, a series of pales, a barpivotally attached to one of said pales and extending transversely ofsaid series, a bracket secured to each of said pales, said bracketshaving slots adapted to receive said bar, rollers arranged in the slotsof each of said brackets adapted to enf gage upper and lower edges ofsaid bar, and links connecting'said series of pales together and adaptedto permit a lateral relative movement therebetween.

2. The combination with a. pair of coperating folding gate sections,each having a plurality of pales movable laterally relatively to eachother, guide bars for said gate sections having slidable engagement withsaid pales, the upper portion of the guiding bar for one of saidsections Vand the lower portion of the guiding bar for the other sectionadapted to overlap each other and'forming a section equal to the fullsize of said bars, and means to retain said bars in alinement with eachother to permit said pales to slide from one of said bars to the' other.

8. The combination with-a pair of coperating folding gate sections, eachhaving a plurality of pales movable laterally relatively to each other,guide bars for said gate section having slidable engagement with saidpales, theupperportion of the guiding bar for one of said sections andthe lower portion of the guiding bar for the othersection adapted tooverlap each other and forming a section equal to the full size of saidbars, and a plurality of dowel pins adapted to lock said members inalinement one with the other, whereby the pales of one of said gatesections may be moved from one of said bars to the other. I

4. In combination, a pair of folding gate sections, each of saidsections comprising an upright pivot pale, a guide bar secured to saidpivot pale, a plurality of pales connected with said pivot pale andmovable laterally on said guide bar relatively to said pivot pale, theo-utermost pale of said plurality of pales constituting a support forthe outer end of said guide bar, and an adjustable pivot for said pivotpale adapted to permit the pales of one of said gate sections to beadjusted laterally with respect to the perpendicular to move the palesof said gatey sections into parallel relation to each other.

5. A folding gate having, in combination, an upright pivot pale, aplurality of series of pales arranged parallel with said pivot pale andadapted to be moved laterally outward or inward relatively t0 said pivotpale to respectively extend or fold ysaid gate, a caster secured to theoutermost pale of each of said series of pales and constituting supportstherefor, and a guide bar secured to said pivot pale and having slidingengagement with said movable pales, said guide bar consisting of aplurality of sections connected together by pivotal joints, the outerend of each of said sections with respect to said pivot pale constructedand arranged to be supported by one of said supporting pales iso whensaid gate is unfolded, the joints ofsaid In testimony whereof I havehereunto set guide bar being constructed and arranged to my hand inpresence of tWo subscribing Witpermit said bar to be collapsed When thenesses.

outermost pale` of said gate has been moved AXEL FRITZ. `toward saidpivot pale to a point between Witnesses:

one ory more of said joints and said pivot CHARLES S. GooDING,

pale. SYDNEY E. TAFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

